


A Big Misunderstanding

by BusyBizzy114



Category: Miraculous Ladybug
Genre: Abandoned Fic, Adrien is so Pure, Bad Parent Gabriel Agreste, Humor, Marinette thinks Chat Noir has a crush on Adrien, Marinette's spiral of doom, Mistaken Identity
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-04-23
Updated: 2021-01-07
Packaged: 2021-03-02 02:48:24
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 3,045
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23807914
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/BusyBizzy114/pseuds/BusyBizzy114
Summary: Ladybug loves Chat Noir (platonically). He is her crime fighting partner and she cares about him. This is why she notices that Chat Noir always reacts strangely to the concept of Adrien. She puts the pieces together and her worldview is shaken.Chat Noir has a crush on Adrien Agreste.Or a story in which Marinette convinces herself that Chat Noir comes from a religious family and can't accept he likes boys and thinks he likes Adrien, and Adrien is not helping the situation as Plagg enjoys the chaosThis fic has been abandoned
Relationships: Adrien Agreste | Chat Noir/Marinette Dupain-Cheng | Ladybug
Comments: 9
Kudos: 107





	1. (Cat)holic Boy

Ladybug loved her partner, she really did. He understood part of her that Alya, Adrien and her parents would never fully understand. He was always there fighting with her, always trusting her and always cracking his stupid puns. He was a constant.

Every time there was an akuma attack, she knew that he would have her back. So even though she did not know his name, it didn’t seem to matter. She knew he watched more anime than was probably healthy (and no way would she ever tell him that she knew he was imitating Tamaki from Ouran Host Club). She knew that he loved sweets, and had a strangely strong attachment to the ideas of croissants. She knew that he was a good person, who respected her when she said no, both to revealing their identities, and to dating, and that was something that she treasured.

Despite not wanting to know her partner’s identity, it was too easy to put the pieces together. His comments about adults during the Bubbler (“Most adults do anyhow”), the fact that he took way more patrols than her ( and how did his parents not notice? Her parents were always wondering where she was) and the surprised face he always made anytime somebody complimented him (which he would always try to hide under a suave look) did not lead to a pretty picture. 

Ladybug knew that if her parents knew she was off galavanting as the protector of Paris, they would be upset, but only because she was in danger. They might try to protect her, and they might get hurt. She loved her family, and knew they loved her, but it was because of this love that they could never know. 

Sometimes Ladybug wondered what would happen if Chat Noir’s family found out. She never contemplated it too much, but after one stressful akuma (a young teenager protecting his youngest brother from his dad, and how DARE Hawkmoth take advantage of that) she couldn’t resist asking. 

She wasn’t sure what she was hoping his response would be. Chat Noir was a jokester, but knew how to be serious and there was no way to predict his answer. Chat Noir looked contemplatively, with his head tilted, but only for a second before he immediately straightened up and smiled. 

“If my family ever saw me wearing this cat-astrophic outfit, it would be a grave mistake!”

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

That was a joke. Ladybug knew that’s how he meant it, but if her partner had one flaw it was that he didn’t think about the puns he was making. He definitely emphasized the word grave. Would his family kill him if they found out he was Chat Noir?

Oh no, she was beginning what Alya lovingly dubbed her Marinette spiral of doom. Why would Chat Noir’s family be mad other than the secret? Would they actually kill him or hurt him over it? Wait, he focused on the outfit, what was wrong with his outfit. Yeah, it was an all skin-tight magic suit, was his leather? Hers wasn’t but his looked like it, but it protected him, despite looking like he was a fan of BDSM. 

Wait. He wore all leather, and while that didn’t faze Ladybug (she knew how to draw nude models, just for the proportions of her designs of course) maybe it would cause his family to panic.

His family must be super religious.

That would explain why Chat never swore, and always looked at her shocked when she did (privately on patrols of course, and she chose to and it was NOT because he scared her when he jumped out from behind that wall. Definitely not because of that). The pieces were falling into place now. That’s why when she first made the BDSM joke about his costume, he didn’t even know what it was.

Ladybug wasn’t particularly religious herself, but knew that religion could be a great thing that inspired kindness in others. She had seen this with Rose, whose faith inspired her to help others. But she also saw that it could be dangerous when used incorrectly. Marc’s tear stained face, and lack of home would be something she never forgot.

Chat Noir’s family must be the strict religious type. This probably meant he didn’t have much of a chance to wear leather. But it didn’t explain why he had such a lack of faith in his family. Maybe they didn’t accept him? But if they didn’t know he was Chat Noir, what was it that they were denying?

She was then struck with another realization. Chat Noir flirted with her, but it was always harmless, and other than that one date he attempted (which she felt bad he skipped, just as a friend) he never really acted the way she did to Adrien. She loved Adrien, and loved him so much that her words stumbled with her, as she fell for him and towards the ground at the same time. Adrien was perfect, he was so kind and sweet and smart, and one day they would get married, run a fashion company and have three, no two, no three kids named Hugo--wait. She was off track. This was about Chat Noir.

But, speaking of Adrien, Chat Noir always had a tension with him. He would flip flop between complimenting the boy (“C’mon my Lady isn’t he cute~~”) to insulting him (“There’s really nothing special Bugaboo)”. He was almost as annoying as a boy pulling on a girl's pigtails. 

Wait. 

Could Chat Noir like Adrien? Was that why he thought his religious family wouldn’t like him, because he liked boys? It would explain why he forced his crush on her. She would have to investigate.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is honestly a trope that I don't think if done enough. I really like the concept of Miraculous, and this is what happens when teenagers are not fighting crime.


	2. Chat got your tongue?

Marinette was making a Plan. Tikki seemed against it but it was necessary. She didn’t want Chat Noir to feel uncomfortable with her, but it was important that she knew if he was in love with Adrien. She had to be smart. She couldn’t outright ask him, no, it had to be subtle. She had a new long sheet of paper (temporarily blocking Adrien’s schedule) with her plan. 

STEP 1: Find out if Chat Noir knows Adrien.

She found him at their usual rendezvous point. His tail-belt waving back and forth as he greeted her with a smile. 

“My Lady! Ready for pawtrol?”

“I was actually wondering if we could just sit and talk and get to know each other…?” 

Dang it. That was not how she meant to do it, she was supposed to patrol as normal, and ask him at the Eiffel Tower. But Chat Noir looked happy enough, albeit shocked, and quickly agreed to it so she figured that it worked out in the end. 

“What do you want to talk about M’Lady?” 

“I...uh….” What was her plan to subtly mention it again? She couldn’t remember for the life of her “wanted us to bond! Like Never Have I Ever or something”.

That was okay right? She could start off small, then slowly lead into bigger questions. On top of that, she really did want to get Chat Noir better. Chat Noir seemed open to the idea, and he had...no idea what the game was. 

That was kind of sad, but it made sense, Never Have I Ever was supposed to be a drinking game, of course he wouldn’t know about it. After explaining the game to him, Ladybug tried to think of a good first question. 

Holding all of her fingers up, she started “Never have I ever learned another language fluently”

That should be a question, she already knew that Chat Noir would have to put his finger down, he knew Morse code and he would want to count it she was sure. When he put his finger down she acted shocked. It was important they established an explanation after each round.

“Really? What language?”

“Well”, Chat started rubbing the back of his neck “I can fluently speak Chinese, Japanese, English and Klingon” 

Hold up. That was not fair, he spoke so many that Morse Code didn't even make it to the list. Ladybug couldn’t even speak Chinese, her mother’s language, when had Chat had the time to learn all those languages? Japanese was hard, he probably learned it for some silly reason, like to watch anim---wait did he say Klingon?

“Did you say Klingon?”

Chat puffed his chest out “It’s a valid language M’Lady, and you would not believe how many people around the world speak it. I have a friend in Germany who I communicate with exclusively through Klingon”

Of course Chat would. That was just like him to do something as hard as learning a language, but choosing to learn one that wasn’t even real. At least he was understanding the concept of the game correctly. 

After a couple rounds, Ladybug had learned a lot about Chat Noir. He never went to elementary school, he never dated anyone unless he was forced to (and he was forced to date?) and he never had any pets. In return Chat Noir found out that she never played a sport, never wore her hair in a single ponytail, and never traveled abroad. Chat Noir had put a finger down for all of those (and now the image of him in a ponytail would not escape her head, and was it getting hot in here?).

Now that they were loosened up, Ladybug decided to finally try to ask for hints about Adrien. 

“Never have I ever met a model that I liked when I first met them”

There. That was true enough, Adrien was the only model that she really knew (Manon didn’t count that was only one time) and even though she loved him now, she didn’t like him when they first met. 

Chat Noir put a finger down. 

“Wait! Chat which models do you know?!”

“Uh..” Chat started to twist his hands nervously “I won’t say all of them for my identity, but Adelie Brodeur, Louis Durand and Alma Couture”. 

Those were all famous models. If Ladybug was remembering correctly, Alma Couture and Adrien were on the fall spread together, and Louis Duran helped model the Agreste Clothing Line for fashion week. If he knew them, he probably new Adrien.

“That’s so cool!” 

As Chat started to try and sound humble (“its not really THAT big of a deal”) Ladybug was wondering how to ask him if he knew Adrien. When she finally had the perfect question (“Hey, have you ever met the Agreste kid on those posters?”) Chat was still prattling on. Well it was now or never, time to ask him about Adrien, oh he was so handsome, she really did love him you know. Great now she was flustered, she could only think about 

“ADRIEN!”

Did she say that outloud? Shoot. Next to her it seemed like Chat had lost the ability to breath, as he started choking on nothing. 

“Sorry” she sheepishly apologized “I meant do you know Adrien Agreste? I’m kind of a fan”

“Oh--OH!” Chat Noir responded, still out of breath from shock “Um… I don’t really know him too well… but you’re a fan right? Don’t you think he’s really handsome?”

“Yeah! He’s always so sweet too” 

Instead of the disappointment she would normally see if she mentioned another boy that way, it only seemed to make him more excited. 

“You really think so? He’s a really great guy Ladybug, did you know that he fences, and does basketball and like a million other sports? I mean, well I don’t really know him of course, this is all speculation, I just feel like he’s a lot like me, wait actually can you forget I said that?”

As Chat Noir continued to trip over his own words, Ladybug realized that his behavior felt familiar. It was how she acted around Adrien. 

This only reaffirmed her belief. Chat Noir definitely knew Adrien. Not only did he know him, but he had a crush on him that seemed like it was bigger than hers (at least she could talk about Adrien when he wasn’t there). 

STEP 1 was complete. Now it was time for STEP 2: Does Chat even know he likes men?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> We love misunderstandings that could easily be solved through communication. I'm debating if I should keep it from LB's perspective or switch to Adrien. While Adrien is my favorite character, I'm a lot like Ladybug so it's easier to connect and write from her perspective. Anyways, if you are reading this, you have made it farther than most thank you! Please leave a kudo and/or comment, they really mean a lot, and I will try to respond to every comment.


	3. Ally Cat

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ladybug tries to get Chat to confess his love for Adrien, Chat confesses Adrien's love for her instead.

STEP 2 was more difficult. Marinette, even with her burning curiosity, understood that if Chat didn’t tell people he was gay there was a possibilty that he didn’t want people to know and she shouldn’t out him. And if he didn’t know he was gay, she couldn’t just force him to acknowledge it. He would have to figure it out on his own time. 

This is why she needed the tact that she seemed to lack last night. She had to be subtle and not force Chat Noir to realize or reveal anything that he wasn’t comfortable. The best solution was to let him know that she was an ally of the LGBT community, that would at least lead to a conversation where he could talk to her about it. 

After 5 hours (3 hours sketching out ideas and 2 hours of baking cookies to bribe Tikki with) she finally had a Ladybug Ally Outfit. At first she wanted to make her outfit rainbow, but realized that would be too obvious, and a cape would be fun but hazardous in battle. When she finally decided on making her ribbons in her hair rainbow, Tikki only agreed on the condition of 3 batches of cookies and that Marinette would NOT PRESSURE CHAT NOIR.

Of course she wouldn’t pressure him. She knew that it wasn’t her place to push, Miss Bustier’s lessons on the LGBT community and how to support them were ingrained in her mind. With that thought, it was time to meet Chat. 

Jumping off of her balcony (and that feeling of exhilaration would never get old) she made her way to Chat Noir who was already waiting for her. 

“Hey Bug-a-boo!” 

“Hey Chat!” 

Turning around to make sure he could see the rainbow ribbons in her hair, she heard him sharply breathe in. He was surprised. That was okay, she wouldn’t react now, she would let him make the first move.

“I like your ribbons, any special reason for the costume altercation?”

This was the perfect opportunity.

“Yeah actually, I’m a supporter of the LGBT community and figured this was a safe and easy way to let others know as well, but I wanted to get your opinion before I wear it into an akuma battle”

She saw him think it through, at least this way she could gauge if he even knew what the LGBT community was (and how was it possible that a boy who wore a leather catsuit everyday was so sheltered).

“I think that it would definitely be a good way to show support. I don’t really know too much about it, but I think it would be pretty good for a superhero to back it. Why all of a sudden though?”

Of course he would ask that. It wasn’t pride month and there was nothing to suggest it out of the blue, therefore it had to be something from her personal life that would make her start it. She couldn’t tell him it was for him though, wait, this could be a good way to give him confidence.

“Oh, I think Adrien Agreste, the model? Well a friend of mine told me that he might like boys but was afraid nobody would support him and I realized how many people might feel that way, so I figured I would show support”

Chat Noir’s face turned red and he started coughing in the way he only did when Adrien was brought up. 

“Adrien Agreste? Are you sure? Wait who told you that because I thought that he always liked you?”

Forcing down the blush at the idea that Adrien liked her (as Ladybug darn it and this was for Chat not her) she tried to think of a response that wouldn’t throw her civilian identity under the bus. She drew a blank. 

“Marinette Dupain-Chang from that bakery, she caught me when I stopped at her balcony and helped me design the ribbons”

“I think that she must have misunderstood. Adrien is in love with YOU. He’s always talking about how smart and capable and strong and beautiful you are”.

Adrien thought she was smart and capable and strong and beautiful? She thought her head might explode from pure happiness. After she caught Hawkmoth she could tell him, and he would keep her identity because he was such a kind soul, and 

“Do you really think he would date me?”

“Absolutely Ladybug, and you should date him! He’s also pretty smart, he’s good at physics you know, and even without powers I think he could take care of himself. He’s a record winning fencer, and he has a bodyguard, plus you wouldn’t even need to tell him your secret identity and..”

As Chat Noir rambled on and on Ladybug realized two things. First, Chat Noir had it BAD for Adrien Agreste. Second, it sounded like Adrien had a crush on her. 

The second fact would normally send her to Cloud 9, but as Chat Noir listed all of Adrien Agreste’s many traits (and how did he know that Adrien visited the cat shelter, she only knew because of that one time she followed him) she had to find a way to date Adrien without breaking Chat’s heart. 

STEP 2 was a bust, with this new information she would have to play things by ear to try and keep everyone happy, and break as few hearts as possible in the process.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry it was so delayed and this chapter is mainly filler. I got sucked into my compsci project (I'm making a hunger games generator but for corona and with a quiz about how to stay safe) and I also binge watched Banana Fish and needed a week to cry about it. I do recommend that show though. I have the story mapped out though, so other than this chapter all of them should have more plot, and unless I get swept away, it should be 9 chapters. Either way, next chapter will be bigger, I'm thinking of bringing in an akuma.


	4. IMPORTANT UPDATE

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> UPDATE ON STATUS OF FIC

This is not a chapter. Things have been really crazy recently with my personal life and the state of the US right now. On top of that my interest with the Miraculous fandom has kind of fizzled out, I just can't really stand the writing anymore and it's hard to see the lost potential and know the writers will never reach the full potential. I might come back to this story one day but for right now its abandoned. I'm sorry, if anyone wants to pick the story up feel free and just let me know so I can read yours.


End file.
